


To build a home with you

by somelikeitpink



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Birthday Present, Fluffy as hell, I think some people might be able to guess where this is going, Letters, M/M, Phil's birthday, Reality, Romance, Texting, all kinds of mediums involved, birthday fic, brief appearance by kickthepj, from 2009-2016, non-au, reflection on the last years, scavenger hunt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-06
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-12 02:07:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5649757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somelikeitpink/pseuds/somelikeitpink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phil's birthday. This year though Dan has a special surprise planned for him. Involving a scavenger hunt all over London.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So. This is it.   
> The first time I am going to attempt a chaptered fic. It's a short start but.. I have plans for this.   
> It's gonna be roughly about 7 chapters and sort of promise to finish it by Phil's birthday. 
> 
> This has been an idea thats been ghosting around in my head for ages now. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

The house was empty. It seemed almost cliché how the sunlight was streaming in through the windows. If Phil was any better at photography he’d spend hours, days even capturing the way it threw shadows on the floor, it looked like a hipsters tumblr blog come to life. 

But that wasn’t what he was here for. The Instructions had been clear. Down the corridor and then through the door.   
The room was exactly as Dan had said it would be. A big open kitchen, with a dining room table and a single chair. The sun was still strong enough to light up the room, and through the glass doors that lead outside you could see a small green garden.

“What am I even doing here…” Phil muttered before he spotted the Laptop on the table with a post it note on top. _‘Open me.’_

Slowly he opened up the lid, another yellow post it stuck to the screen as it came to life. _‘Insert the USB.’_

“The things I do for you Howell..” After a few clicks the folder opened up, in it a single video file. 

 

_For you.mov_

 

He couldn’t say why he hesitated. Why he took a deep breath before clicking on the small icon. His whole life consisted of files like those, but he couldn’t remember when his heart beat like that the last time opening one. 

 

_Dan on the couch of their living room. He was smiling gently, pulling his grey sweater over his hands. “Hello Phil.”_

 

_-_

 

**6 hours earlier**

 

Slowly Phil blinked open his eyes. The world around him seemed as hazy as it usually did in the mornings, and before he even tried to find his glasses he reached out, patting the bed beside him.  
Only when he found it cold and empty did Phil sit up. “Dan?” Having his glasses on just proved his suspicions right. The bed was empty.   
It wasn’t an unusual occurrence, Dan had the tendency to disappear at times, but he rarely woke up earlier than Phil. And for once, today he had hoped Dan would stay. Shaking his head at his boyfriend he reached for his phone, unplugged it from the charger and settled back into the pillows.   
It was his birthday. He didn’t need to get up immediately. 

A message greeted him on his phone and unable to help it Phil smiled. 

 

_Hello old man!_

_HAPPY BIRTHDAY <3 <3 <3_

_I’m sorry for leaving early, but there were a few things I had to take care of._

_Get your ass out of bed though and go into the kitchen. Breakfast is waiting for you._

_ILY_

 

True to his word, there was coffee waiting and a post it note informing Phil to look into the oven. A mountain of chocolate chip pancakes was waiting there for him, and any bad thoughts he might have had towards his boyfriend were immediately whipped off his mind. 

 

_I LOVE YOU TOO! You even thought to restock on the maple sirup front!_

_You are officially forbidden to ever leave._

_Where are you though? I missed waking up next to you.._

 

No matter if their friends made fun of it or not, it was unusual for them not to know where the other one was. It couldn’t be Radio related, he would have known about that. His phone chimed again just as he took another big bite from his pancake.

 

_Just out and about. You will found out later I promise. But now look under your bed and get dressed. You have plans for today!_

 

Frowning Phil tried to remember if there was anything else he should have remembered for the day, but somehow nothing came to mind. He finished his portion of the pancakes with sadness, since he had already looked forward to holing up in his bed today, occasionally getting up to refill his stack of pancakes on his plate and then hopefully getting some cuddles from Dan later on.

 

Warily he looked under the bed, once again hesitating as he saw something he hadn’t seen there before. A dark blue sweater, one Phil had seen while shopping just the week before but had deemed to expensive. Laughing quietly he held it up to his face, almost rubbing against it, considering how soft it was. 

 

_You really shouldn’t have.. but thank you. It’s amazing._

 

He had barely put his phone down before another message came in.

 

_You look beautiful in it. Get dressed, you’ve got places to go._

 

 

_——————————————-_

 

 

Half an hour later Phil was slipping into his shoes, pulling his Jacket over the brand new sweater. No matter how much he had told himself he shouldn’t hurry, it was his birthday he had all the time in the world, Dan being seemingly up to something had wakened his curiosity.

 

_Alright. So where exactly is places? Anything I need to take with me?_

 

_Go back into my room. Theres a letter on the table. Go to the Address thats on the outside and then you can open it._

 

Phil stumbled back into Dan’s room, managing to hit his knee against the doorframe. Groaning he finally made it to the table, the white envelope propped up against the keyboard. He scanned the address and couldn’t help but frown, it didn’t hold any significance for him as far as he could tell. 

“What are you doing Dan..”  
With a sigh he pocketed the letter. He’d find a cab to take him there. Maybe then it would start making sense for once. 

 

_You’re lucky I love you. Where are you taking me?_

 

_You’ll just have to wait and see._

 

 

————-

 

Twenty minutes later Phil got out of the cab, barely holding in his chuckle as he stared at the building in front of him. 

 

_Starbucks? Really Dan? Could have been a bit fancier for the day…_

 

_Shut up and stop pretending you’re not craving more coffee. Get in there, it’s already waiting for you. And then you can sit down and finally give in and open that letter._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as promised chapter two is already here.  
> Thanks for the lovely feedback so far, the chapter is quite short again, but I promise they are getting longer soon.

 

True to his word, there had been a caramel macchiato waiting for him to pick up. Shaking his head at his own boyfriends sappiness he thanked the barista and settled into one of the couches in the corner. Carefully he pulled the letter out of the pocket of his jacket.

 

 _ Caramel Machiato. Even without the phandom constantly reminding me I would have remembered your order until we are old and grey.I can’t believe it’s been six years since I stepped off that train in Manchester, my heart beating out of my chest. And yet I had no Idea what was going to happen. _ _  
I know you’re already shaking your head at me, but believe me I didn’t just drag you out of bed on your birthday to buy you a cup of coffee. I have a plan.  _

  
_Do you remember that first day? I couldn’t stop staring at you. I thought you were the most beautiful and amazing human being I had ever seen. I already knew I had a crush on you from our Skype sessions but there was something about finally being there. Being able to reach out and just grab your hand. We sat in a starbucks like this when you first did. I didn’t know where our limits were, I was just a gangly eighteen your old who didn’t know what he was doing at all and who could only try and hold onto the ride._  
_I don’t think I’ve ever been as nervous again as I was on that day. But then we sat down in that starbucks, with both of us ordering the same drink and talked._  
_I remember I told you about how clueless I felt, that I had no idea if my videos were any good, when you reached out and took hold of my hand. You looked me in the eye and told me that you believed in me. That you thought I did so well and to just see where it will lead me. It was the first in many times that you told me those words but I’ll always remember that moment. It was the first time somebody said them to me._

  
_I refused to let go of your hand afterwards. We sat there, like the two idiots we were, holding hands over the table. I’m still wondering what the barista must have thought as we continued to just stare at each other. I still couldn’t believe I was there with you._  
_Months later I would find out that you were just as nervous as I was, and I could feel it in the tremor of your hands as I first kissed you. I still have no idea where I got the courage to do that from, but the look on your face made my heart stop._

  
_Two weeks later you took me to that youtuber meet up and introduced me as your Dan. I remember how jealous I felt - and yes shut up I know I’ve still got that problem - as some of the others seemed to know you so well. And who was I to compete with that? The weird eighteen year old nerd who could barely call himself a youtuber. But then you put your arm around my waist and led me away from the others just to sit on that fountain and point out the stars to me. I only had eyes for you though._  
_Why I am telling you all of that today? Because I think sometimes we need to remember. Remember just far we’ve come from those hour long phone calls and days spend crying in my bed because I felt like I had left a part of myself in Manchester._  
_So thats what today is about. A day to remember. Did you ever think you’d spend your 29th birthday with the same weirdo you met back then? I wouldn’t have. But I had hoped._

 _ But because I know you, and I know we are both gigantic nerds at heart it’s not going to be that easy for you. You’ve got places to go. Things to find. People to meet. Just like we have done over the last few years.  _  
_So go on. The next clue is on the back of this letter._  
_I love you._  
_Your Dan._

 

 

Phil smiled fondly as he sat down the letter, taking a sip from his coffee. Trust Dan to make him emotional with a single letter. Scanning over the letter a second time he chuckled as he realised just how hard he must have tried to make his chicken scratch legible. 

 

_I love you too. I knew back then already that I’d have to put up with you for a while._

 

 

_And you wouldn’t have it any other way._

 

 

No he wouldn’t. If Phil was honest he wasn’t even sure where he’d be today if it wasn’t for Dan. Their fans often liked to turn it in a way that made it sound like he was the one to rescue Dan. But he had rescued Phil just as much.   
He had been fresh out of Uni, without any perspectives and any idea what to do with his life. His friends had been settling down, finding jobs and getting steady with their partners.  
And there was Phil. Just moved back into his parents home, without a job and a partner. And then that boy had come along. Awkward as hell and hiding behind a fringe just as long as Phil’s, he had been everything Phil had been looking for without even knowing. Had been the anchor in a world where everything seemed to fall apart and his never ending belief in Phil’s abilities had given him the boost he had needed to pick up his life and take it in his own hands again.

 

Taking a deep breath he shook himself out of his own thoughts and turned the letter back around. Right. First clue.

 

_ The number of the street is the day we first met. The Street name consists of the place you’re from  
and the german word for castle. _

 

_ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ h street _

 

The barista shot Phil a long look as he started laughing. Of course Dan would make this into an actual game. Well. He could do that. Fishing out his phone he frantically brushed up on his german skills before he grinned, shooting off another text message to Dan.

_19 Northburgh Street?_

 

 

_Well that was quicker than I thought. There’s something waiting for you to pick up there._

 

 

_—————————————————————_

 

Stepping out of the Starbucks Phil pulled up google maps, the address only five minutes away.Strolling past the park close to the Barbican he couldn’t help but stop for a moment, staring at the fountain in the middle of the little square. It wasn’t the same they had been sitting on of course, he wasn’t even sure anymore if he’d remember where that had been.  
But if he squinted his eyes just right and tilted his head a bit.. he could still see a gangly teenager and an overexcited boy sitting there. Holding hands and promising the stars to each other. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2010 left some traces behind..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK!! Believe it or not.
> 
> God I'm sorry for the long break. But I'm back on schedule.  
> Next chapter will be super long, so be prepared for that next week (or maaaaaaaybe earlier?)

_What am I doing here?_

 

Phil looked up from his phone again, staring at the small electronics store he was standing in front of. He did get the address right, he thought after checking once more. 

 

_Get in there, and just tell them your name. They’ll know what to give you._

 

Sighing Phil pushed open the door, a bell resounding throughout the cramped shop. To his left Phone cases lined the walls, and for a moment Phil considered if Dan had gotten him another phone case, but then he had only gotten one for Christmas.  
The rest of the store seemed to be filled with old Radios and random electronic accessories.  
A small indian woman finally came to the front, tilting her head in question.  
“Uhm I am here to pick something up? My name is Phil?”  
She frowned before he face seemed to light up and she nodded. “Yes yes Phil. We have a package for you.” Without any further explanation she disappeared into the back of the shop, leaving Phil alone for another few minutes.  


 

_OH MY GOD. Don’t tell me you’ve got a totally modern new thing like.. a radio. Thanks sweetheart. Just what I always wanted._

 

 

_You are an ungrateful bastard you know that? As if I would get you a radio. That would mean you’d need to listen to our show._  


 

“There you go.” The soft voice of the shop keeper turned his attention away from the shopkeeper on the small bundle in her hands. Wrapped in bubble wrap was… 

“What is that?” Phil frowned, taking the package from her and turning it over in his hands.  
“Well you’ll need to open it of course.” She smiled gently before turning back, the conversation obviously over for her. “Have a nice day.”

“Have a nice day.. “ Staring after her it took Phil a few moments to focus back on the task at hand. Impatient he ripped off the tape holding it together, and unwrapped the package from its protective shell.  
In his hands fell…an ipod. An iPod he hadn’t seen since it disappeared 2010. 

 

—————————October 2010

 

_ “Phiiiiiiiil.” Dan’s voice greeted him the moment he opened the door to his apartment, and even if he tried, he couldn’t hold back the smile.  
Technically speaking he had his own room in the Universities dormitory but Phil had given him the spare key the moment he got to Manchester and more often then not he spend his days on Phil’s couch (or the bed, but they weren’t gonna get into that). _

_ “Yes. Help me with the shopping?” Leaning against the wall he tried to toe off his shoes, almost falling over in the process.  
Unsurprisingly there was no sound at all from the living room, and he would have been annoyed if hadn’t still been so wrapped around Dan’s little finger. _

_ “How was the lecture?” Phil finally said, in the process of finding a place for the Pizzas he had bought for tonights dinner.  _   
_Dan groaned from his spot on the couch, his hand coming up to cover his face. “Can we not talk about it?” He finally mumbled out, glancing at Phil through his fingers._   
_“That awful?” Phil chuckled, finally shoving them into the fridge, balanced on top of Dan’s yoghurt and the leftovers from last nights dinner._

_ Dan rolled over, watching him over the top of the couch. “Remember that professor I told you about? The one who looks like Trelawney?” _   
_Phil stopped for a moment, looking back at Dan, the pack of popcorn almost falling out of his hand. “Is she the one who teaches the obligations course?”_   
_His boyfriend pulled a face, making obvious once more just what he thought of that course. “She literally spend an hour today telling us how important it is to keep up with the ‘legal language’. As if we didn’t know already that our books aren’t written in English.”_   
_Phil chuckled, exchanging the empty bottle of milk in the fridge for the full new one. Groaning inaudibly he realised he had forgotten to get new lucky charms. Again._   
_“Well maybe not everybody is as clever as you are.” He tried to say it with a straight face, but Dans dead stare just made him laugh harder. “I hate you sometimes.”_

_ “Even though I got you chocolate?” Phil finally walked over to the couch, waving the bar of chocolate in front of him. “I love you.” Dan ad-libbed immediately, his arm reaching out to grab it from his boyfriend. _

_ “At least I had some proper entertainment.” At Phil’s raised eyebrow Dan pulled out his iPod from the bag lying at his feet.  _   
_“Hey thats mine isn’t it?” Phil laughed, pulling it out of Dan’s hands. “I’ve been searching for that for ages.” Sheepishly Dan blinked at him, trying his best to look as innocent as possible._   
_“I thought I lost that when we were in Jamaica!” Phil exclaimed, staring at the small silver mp3 player in wonder._

_ “Well I might have.. nicked it on the way home? You were already asleep on the plane and I was bored and then I might just have… forgotten to give it back?”  _   
_He knew he had lost the battle already, and finally after a few more minutes of pouting from Dan’s side, he handed it back over._   
_“Fine. I’ve got my phone for now anyway. But you’ve got to give it back to me when I go to London next week, otherwise I’ll be bored out of my mind on the train.”_

 

————————

 

Of course he had never seen it again. He had assumed it had been lost on the whole moving business.  
Hesitantly he pulled out his phone again, just barely managing to hold onto his headphones as they fell out as well.

 

_What am I supposed to do now?_

 

 

_Listen to whats on there. You’ll understand._

 

 

————————

 

 

The sound of somebody clearing his throat, somebody moving around was heard first before all of a sudden a piano started playing. Unbelieving Phil started laughing in the middle of the street. It was Dan playing. It was so unmistankingly him playing, he would have been able to pick that out from anywhere.  
It was the acoustic version of a random song they had once heard, what felt now like lifetimes ago. It had been on their first trip to the states together and they had decided to have a cocktail on the hotel balcony when it had started playing. Dan had looked at him in that way and for once not caring about who could have seen them had reached for his hand. They didn’t need words to make the other one understand. 

 

“Do you remember that evening?” Dan’s voice suddenly echoed from the speakers, his playing quietening down a bit but not stopping. “I remember us deciding that we should go up to that rooftop bar and having at least one drink there. I remember looking out over that great city and just.. realising how lucky I was. Lucky that I was able to be there with you.”  
His playing changed, a mix up with another song that phil couldn’t pinpoint.

_“Three years before that though… was the time when I finally got to move to Manchester. We spend the first half a year just travelling back and forth and going on our first trip to Jamaica together..” he laughed softly. “I remember trying to keep my hands off you with all the others filming around us but.. god we were so in love. I just remember how lucky I suddenly felt, being out on a holiday with my boyfriend.”_  


Phil swallowed. He remembered the feeling. Remembered how young they still were and how elating it had felt to be able to call that gorgeous boy his boyfriend. He had been in relationships before, but he had never felt so proud and awed of one of his partners. 

 

_ “A few months later you got your own apartment and I finally came up North for good. I know that.. it wasn’t officially my flat as well but I will always think of it as our apartment. God knows I spend more time there then I ever did in my dorms.”  
_

_ There was a moment where the music changed again and this time it didn’t take long for him to recognise the song.  
_

_“Remember that? I still can’t believe you used Final Fantasy while proclaiming your love to me. I mean really Phil…you do know the way to my heart after all.” Dan chuckled. “I think.. A lot happened because of this video. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if it hadn’t… gotten out there. But I can’t be too mad because even if I do sometimes see it out there.. All I remember now is me sitting in India, feeling like my heart was going to burst. Did I ever tell you that that was the moment my mum knew for sure? She came to look where I had been and found me with tears streaming down my face, replaying that video as often as my internet connection allowed . There had never been another reason to come out after she just.. She knew. I still love this video. And today I can.. I can say that nobody can take this away from us. I know I wasn’t always able to think that way but.. this is ours. It was the most beautiful present anybody had ever given me until that point. I can’t regret that.”_  


 

  
There was a moment of silence and it was only then that Phil realised he had stopped and leaned against the cold wall behind him.  
Taking a deep shuddering breath he looked up at the sky. That boy would be the death of him.

  
  
_“The next present is ready for you to pick up at Cowcross Street 20 in Farringdon. It’s a bit of a walk but don’t worry I’ve got you covered for entertainment.”_  


Ready to get going Phil straightened up, smiling fondly when Dan’s piano playing picked up again. For the first time since he had turned the iPod on, he had a look at the playlist the found on it. A few original tracks by Dan mixed up with some Muse and a few soundtracks that Phil continued to listen to all the time.  
  
Quickly he typed out an answer to Dan, turning around the corner before he had even finished.

 

_Are you sending me on a shopping trip for you on MY birthday?_

_Thank you though. I.. I don’t regret anything either. I just regret what followed that._

 

 

_I know. But it was all worth it wasn’t it?_  


_Yeah it was._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday Phil <3


End file.
